Ah, I think I'll do a names question today -- those are always popular.
Should Barack Obama be re-elected, it seems likely that he'll have openings at (at least) two key cabinet posts: Treasury and State. Who do you want to see filling them?
Sunday, March 18, 2012
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State: John Kerry
ReplyDeleteTreasury: Alan Krueger
A bit pragmatic, but both would be solid choices, I think.
State: Gary Locke
ReplyDeleteTreasury: Robert Reich
You didn't ask, but I'd also like to see Russ Feingold as Attorney General.
Treasury - I agree that Alan Krueger would be a solid pick. It'd be nice for a woman to finally break the glass ceiling on that job, though. Do we know who Krugman would recommend for it?
ReplyDeleteState - Off the top of my head I'll go with Rose Gottemoeller.
Robert Reich -- Treasury
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see Hillary change her mind and stay on as Secretary of State. To me she's done a fantastic job.
Treasury: I've always loved Sheila Bair. Did a really spectacular job running the FDIC through unprecedented strain on both the financial and human resources of the agency. Not the best political operator in town, but that's mainly because FDIC's purview is so limited. For a Republican, though, her confirmation would be very rocky because she's articulated a very Warren-esque line on Wall St regulation.
ReplyDeleteIn a completely different direction, I think co-opting a big name in the financial industry might make it easier to stomp on them in the coming years. Jamie Dimon, while occasionally critical of the administration, has the clout to drag the financial sector kicking and screaming into compliance with the new order.
Treasury: Lael Brainard, currently Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs
ReplyDeleteState: John Kerry/maybe Dick Lugar if he's not reelected, though I think he will be
The only reason I wouldn't go with Kerry is if control the Senate is up in the air. Then I might be tempted to go with someone like current UN Ambassador Susan Rice.
Was wondering: what are the chances of Obama naming Mitt Romney as Treasury Secretary? Or Mitch Daniels?
ReplyDeleteFor State I think Susan Rice would be a good bet. On international affairs the President seems to promote from within.
For SOS, Dennis Kucinich. For Treasury, Elizabeth Warren if she loses for Senate, if not, Paul Krugman.
ReplyDeleteDennis Kucinich? Oh God I hope that is a joke, I can't imagine a job he'd be worse at, perhaps President.
DeleteKrugman doesn't want the job, and has said so any number of times he doesn't want in the Cabinet, period.
DeleteI figured the question is about who you want, not who its actually going to be.
DeleteI agree about John Kerry at State. At Treasury, might Christy Romer be a possibility?
ReplyDeleteChristina Romer would be good, I wouldn't want Kerry at State because of the Senate seat.
DeleteTreasury - I think it needs to be someone who's been around the game for a while, or they'll get shut out of senior-level decision making. What that means, I'm not sure. Darkhorses - Gary Gensler, the aforementioned Romer. Reich too much of a bombthrower in my view.
ReplyDeleteState - I've heard Kerry is campaigning for this more or less full-throttle, but I hope they've learned enough to not give up Senate seats they don't have to. Rice seems a solid choice.
Treasury: Laura Tyson, for NEC Chair
ReplyDeleteTyson fits the form of the Obama Administration, particularly on economic policy, turning to Clinton Administration vets and promoting them up. This doesn't exclude Brainard, though.
It's never been that Reich is a bombthrower, it's that he couldn't manage a bureaucracy AND carry out the President's wishes. That's what makes "Locked in the Cabinet" tolerable, both because of what is on the page, and what is not. It also makes his guest spots absolutely hilarious, because it's utterly clear that his grasp of the policy-process is like that of the Underwear gnomes.
State: Rice. If you move Kerry, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is a terrible place, as they have lost Biden, Feingold, and Kerry, the next most senior members are Boxer, Menendez, Cardin, and Casey. Regardless of the needlessly risking a Senate seat, the idea of entrusting the committee to these folks should give the Caucus pause.